I say go down.

This poll belongs in the Doping forum.

Why ...he means gatorade

I would publicly declare christmas in August if the average
speed turned out to be 38kph or less. Fat chance ...

It might not be what we think, though. More wide-open racing without any one team controlling the race could cause an offsetting increase in the speed over a controlled race. Might be a wash. I'm just ready for the thing to start and for the riders to get on the road.

it depends on whether the riders call a strike or a slowdown.

me UP

Stays the same is not possible

I see you've learned your lesson about saying you'll run down the street naked! Declaring Christmas in August is somewhat less dramatic, I'd say!

I say that there will be at least enough "doped" riders still left in the TdF peloton to drive the average speeds up. Between that and the realtively unmountainous parcours there's no reason why they shouldn't set a new record this year, even sans the 22 riders who names have yet to be made public.

The last time there was a significant doping scandal (1998), the average speeds went up the next year and culminated last year in a rise of almost 2%. While there are obvious variations depending on the amount of climbing and chasing of breaks, the years since 1998 have certainly seen an increase in overall speed of the peloton.

The race in those years was dominated by one team and one rider who insist they are clean...

Therefore I would presume that this year, if all the dirty riders are kicked out, the race will be faster again.

Oh, wait.....

Well, year two of the pro-tour could have an impact - more big teams putting big names in le tour, and fewer wild-card teams, right?

I say up.

Who's to say I didn't run naked? That was the day Ulle won the last GT stage of his career

Too many variables.

My guess it will be slower mainly do to tactics. No team is going to shred the race this year like Postal and Discovery in the past. More breakaways are going to stay away.

Phonak is too weak.
Disco doesn't have a dominant rider to finish the job. Popo will be good, though.
Telekom has basically just Kloden, who by the way has a few years left on his contract.
Levi isn't a monster climber.
Cunego has shown flashes and same with Valverde.
CSC at best has Sestre. Possibly the best climber with form.

If Millar pulled this off, he will win more. It would take an incredibly amount of discipline to win the TDF with just training and I am doubting very much even if he did that he could do it clean. There I am almost certain of a lot of other rats in the cream.


Ironically, with Simoni giving up on winning the TDF this may have been his best shot.

I don't think we'll see any difference. First of all, the current doping affair certainly doesn't pretend to catch all of the doped riders (assuming that all parties did not use the same doc). Furthermore, the talent level on many teams will allow a secondary rider to rise up and put in 'nearly' the same performance as any missing team leader. I mean - Vino is still in, correct? And Floyd, Levi, Pop, et al? We'll see about the same speeds as last year, IMO.

Landis, Leipheimer and Menchov are the perfect candidates to be wearing the yellow jersey and seriously bonk during some rainy stage when Cunego, Simoni or Valverde will attack early and take a decisive lead.

But as Ullrich's performance is now under a cloud he is allowed to retrospectively wear clothes.